Cedar Rapids RoughRiders forward Justin Abdelkader has committed to Michigan State University, the RoughRiders announced today. Abdelkader is expected to begin his college career in the fall of 2006.
“We’re very excited for Justin,” said RoughRiders coach and general manager Mark Carlson. “This is obviously a great move for him and we look forward to seeing a lot of good things from him as a RoughRider.”
Abdelkader, 17, was selected by the RoughRiders in the third round of the 2004 USHL draft with the thirtieth overall choice. Last season Abdelkader starred for Muskegon (Michigan) Mona Shores High School, scoring 37 goals and totaling 80 points in just 28 games. He was named Mr. Hockey 2004 by the Michigan High School Hockey Coaches Association.
When Abdelkader does move on to Michigan State, he will be joining one of the top college hockey programs in the nation. Last season the Spartans went 24-16-2 and claimed a berth in the NCAA tournament. MSU also finished third in the powerhouse Central Collegiate Hockey Association on the strength of a 17-9-2 conference record. A pair of former RoughRiders- forward Tyler Howells and defenseman Chris Snavely- already skate for Michigan State.
Abdelkader joins Phil Axtell (Michigan Tech), Greg Collins (New Hampshire), and Ray Eichenlaub (Miami of Ohio) as the fourth member of the 2004-05 RoughRiders to make a college commitment.
Abdelkader and the RoughRiders will return to exhibition action tomorrow night at 7:30 when the Riders meet the Des Moines Buccaneers at the Buc Bowl preseason tournament in Urbandale. The RoughRiders will finish off their preseason slate with Buc Bowl games against the Chicago Steel on Saturday afternoon and the Waterloo Black Hawks on Sunday afternoon.
The RoughRiders will raise the curtain on the regular season, their sixth in Cedar Rapids, on Saturday, September 25 in Des Moines. The RoughRiders play their home opener on Saturday, October 16 against Waterloo.
2004-05 season tickets are currently available through the RoughRiders’ business office (247-0340). In addition to their seats, season ticket holders receive a host of exclusive additional benefits.
Over their first five seasons, the Riders have secured a place as one of the top organizations in the United States Hockey League. The RoughRiders are one of just three teams to have reached the USHL playoffs each of the last four seasons and last year set a franchise record for wins in a season. The Riders are also annually among the league leaders in attendance, frequently drawing sellout crowds to the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.